One of my favorite things about being a potter is finding unexpected uses for things we- or other folks- have made. This week, one of our very large platters made it into the house before it got returned to the showroom, and during its stop-over in our kitchen, has been used for everything from keeping hats and gloves out of Lego's reach, to holding fruit and an oven mitt (also likely placed there to avoid the puppy's chewing mouth!). An oval baking dish, back from being used as a demo in Nathan's class, became a mail-and-magazine holder- a quick way to turn clutter into something a little nicer to look in the midst of a busy week. (Oh, by the way, that adorable 'heart woman' as I call her, is a clay finger puppet by Jane Kaufmann.)

And while I was snapping photos, I thought I'd share a few more non-traditional ways we use pottery in our daily home life . . . an small oval vase turned office-letter-organizer, and an oval plate by Kari Radasch turned olive-oil-cruet-and-garlic-clove holder. A few pieces we use more traditionally are the 'barn jar' I use for sea salt, and 'puffy' soap dish by David Orser and Laurel MacDuffie respectively, tiny ring-bowls by Wayne Fuerst, and this cookie jar by Nathan that holds a very large bag of puppy treats on top of our fridge! (Oh, and believe it or not, I made the pewter spoon in a metal casting class with Paulette Werger!)

How do you use handmade pieces in your home, kitchen, or office? We'd love to hear from you! (Oh, and by the way, we've disabled our comments temporarily because of spam . . . in the meantime, our Facebook page is the best place to leave a comment/question/photo.)